I'll Stand By You
by Angel's girl
Summary: I don't do summaries that well so i beg of you to just come in read and tell me what you think **CHAPTER 4 IS UP**
1. Default Chapter

I'll Stand By You

**Disclaimer:** The evil Joss-Beast has ownership I just steal them away and try to make it better if only for a little while.

**Spoilers:** Yes anything up to the episode where Angel goes to the home office and Holland gives his little "all humans are inherently evil" speech but he doesn't go to Darla instead he comes to Buffy.

**Dedication:** To anyone who is a slave to their passion

**Feedback:** You know I gotta have it. Easy with the flames though…they burn.

**Author's note:** I can't remember exactly what was happening in Buffy just before Angel had his "Epiphany" as in I can't remember if Riley was still around or not but for the sake of this story he is still there. Also the lyrics are I'll Stand By You by the Pretenders.

I'll Stand By You 

By Angel's girl

Buffy was hanging with the rest of the gang at the Bronze. It had been a slow week and Buffy figured she owed it to herself and her friends to have a little down time. So she gathered up Xander and Anya, Willow and Tara and she had told Giles to go home and read something strictly for the pleasure of reading it.

The group sat around a small corner table and sipped on lattes and cappuccinos laughing and making small talk while the club pulsed with life around them. They chatted about everything normal like school and work although not slayage type work because Buffy had made it pointedly clear that tonight was so **not** about vampires or slaying.

Riley had slipped into the club and had found the quintet easily and sidled up next to Buffy. He tried to ignore how she stiffened beside him. He tried to give her a kiss on the mouth but she turned her head and he found himself having to settle for her cheek.

Things had been undeniably tense between them lately as more of his insecurities about Angel had surfaced and Buffy was tired of the same conversations that they inevitably had. So he was hardly surprised when she stood up with an exasperated sigh and held her hand out towards Xander.

"Xan come dance with me."

Xander leaned over and gave Anya a kiss on the cheek before standing and reaching out to take Buffy's waiting hand, shrugging his shoulders in an 'I'm sorry man' type gesture to Riley. Riley couldn't help but stare dejectedly as Buffy lead Xander to a spot lit section of the dance floor and they began to move. 

It was an upbeat tune; strange disease by prozak, and Xander was being his Xander-self and trying to make Buffy smile. Which he did because Buffy was laughing at Xander's dance moves as she tried to match them. Although Buffy feigned having a good time Xander knew better.

"What's wrong Buffy?"

"This was supposed to be our night, just the Scooby's and now he is going to ruin it with his Angel complex."

"Why don't you give him a break Buff? Angel is a hard one to follow."

"Xander I'm tired of the fights we have. I have enough things in my life that I have to fight. He doesn't need to be one of them."

The music was now changing to one that was slower, a couple kind of dance and Buffy saw Riley get out of his seat and begin to walk towards the dance floor, moving in her direction. In an instant Buffy grabbed Xander, who was making his way back to the table, and pulled him back onto the floor and into her arms. To make her point she held him close and once again Xander found himself giving the 'I'm sorry' look to Riley over Buffy's shoulder.

Rejected and heart in hand Riley made his way to the bar and ordered a drink. He stayed over there perched on a stool watching Buffy as he contemplated whether or not he should just leave. He tried to make eye contact with Buffy but she turned away, instead burying her head in the crook of Xander's neck. He downed his drink and was about to make tracks to the door when something across the room caught his eye making him stay but edge into the shadows as not to be seen but where he could definitely watch.

The song had ended and Buffy turned with Xander towards the table where their friends sat when Buffy stopped. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and a twisting in her belly. 

"Shit! Can't have one bloody night…" Buffy started under her breath as she turned in the direction of the feeling but her words were cut short when she saw who the vampire was.

"Angel?"

Stumbling in across the dance floor was Angel. He wasn't moving with his usual grace or stealth and Buffy knew in a heartbeat that this wasn't a social call. No something was wrong here, very wrong. 

He was hunched over and looked as if he had been in the fight of his life. He looked broken and defeated and he seemed as if he almost couldn't bear his own weight.

With out a second's hesitation Buffy moved towards Angel almost running to his side. He looked up at her with tear-laden eyes and near collapsed into Buffy's embrace. He clung to her in desperation, grabbing onto her shirt as if his life depended on it, as if he was drowning, being sucked into the dark abyss of hell and only she could keep him afloat. 

She wanted to move him off to the side but he wouldn't budge and his weight was more than she could handle if she had to move him without co-operation so they stood there in the middle of the dance floor in the Bronze both having forgotten that they weren't alone. Angel not caring and Buffy worried about him.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Angel and tried to assess if he was injured.

"Angel? Baby? What's wrong?" She asked not caring that her boyfriend was still lurking around somewhere and could potentially hear her.

She got no response.

"Angel are you hurt?"

Again no response, so Buffy pulled back from him and looked him in the face. It broke her heart to see such infinite sadness in that beautiful face of his, and it scared the hell out of her too.

"Angel talk to me." Buffy pleaded.

Oh 

_Why you look so sad?_

_Tears are in your eyes_

_Come on and come to me now_

_Don't _

_Be ashamed to cry_

_Let me see you through_

_Cause I've seen the dark side too_

_When the night falls on you_

_You don't know what to do_

_Nothing you confess_

_Could make me love you less_

_ _

_I'll stand by you_

_I'll stand by you _

_Won't let nobody hurt you_

_I'll stand by you_

_ _

Buffy shifted Angel in her arms and tried to calm the tremors that now wracked his body. Something big had happened and she wasn't going to let him go until she knew what it was and if she could, fix it. She tried hard not to give into the tears that burned behind her eyes now.

She let her body sway with the music and was relieved when Angel swayed with her although he refused to let up on his iron grip. His face was buried in her neck and she could feel his tears that he was trying desperately not to give in to slip down her neck. She rubbed his back with one hand and ran her fingers along the side of his face and into his hair with the other, all the while whispering softly, soothingly into his ear.

Buffy managed to get her friends attention and they immediately came to her aid.

"Help me get him outside."

The gang only hesitated long enough to figure out how to help Buffy maneuver Angel who still wouldn't let go of Buffy, out of the club and away from the public eye because in the state Angel was in no one could tell what might happen.

They helped Buffy walk him towards her mother's house but once they were a few blocks away from the crowd of the Bronze suddenly Angel pushed them away. He looked around at the group of faces that surrounded him and he took a swing at Xander. Buffy caught his fist mid-air with one hand and used the other to wave her friends back.

"You wanna hit something Angel then hit me."

So, if your mad get mad 

_Don't hold it all inside_

_Come on and talk to me now_

_Hey, what you got to hide?_

_I get angry too_

_Well I'm a lot like you_

_When you're standing at the crossroads_

_Let me come along_

_Cause even if you're wrong_

_ _

_I'll stand by you_

_I'll stand by you_

_Won't let nobody hurt you_

_I'll stand by you_

Angel had a feral look in his eye as he eyed Buffy and he hesitated only a second before he lunged at her. Buffy deflected him easily and managed to keep his focus on her and away from her friends while this little outburst phased out. That is until Riley came up from behind him. He had seen Angel attack Buffy and he decided to step in. He'd had enough of Angel interfering with Buffy, whatever the reason.

"You get the hell away from her," He snarled as he lept onto Angel's back.

"Riley, NO!"

Buffy screamed as Angel reached up behind him and pulled the commando off of his back with the most vicious growl Buffy had ever heard from Angel and watched helplessly as he threw him unceremoniously to the ground. Riley was a little shaken as he tried to get to his feet and Angel wasted no time in back handing the soldier boy. He made to give chase but Buffy planted herself squarely in his way.

"Get Riley out of here." She demanded, never taking her eyes away from Angel's.

"Okay lover you wanna play rough, let's play rough."

Buffy knew she was only a couple of blocks away from home as she goaded Angel into following her in that direction.

Before she knew it Buffy and Angel were now standing on Buffy's front lawn. Both were a little worse for wear and bloody to boot but Buffy was about to bring this tantrum to an end. 

"Come and get it big boy," Buffy taunted and Angel growled, game face on, and lunged at Buffy with a right hook. Buffy ducked and shot her leg out having her foot effectively connect with Angel's chest. She continued with a volley of punches and kicks and verbal slaps…

"Is this what you want Angel? You want to kill me or do you want me to kill you huh?"

…until Angel finally collapsed on her front lawn broken, bleeding and weeping.

Buffy eased out of her fighting stance and walked over to his slumped form concerned but wary. When she was certain he wasn't going to lunge at her again she gathered him up into her arms and headed him into her house.

"Come on Angel work with me here. I may be the Slayer but that doesn't mean I want to drag your lead butt up my stairs."

Angel complied, barely and Buffy, having pulled back the bedcovers first, finally was able to dump him down on her bed. She gingerly began to undress him, down to his boxers, and draped his clothing over the chair that sat in the corner of her room. She looked him over for signs of injuries and was happy to note that the only marks on him were those he would have gotten in his temper tantrum with her moments earlier.

Buffy then slipped out of her clothes and pulled on the t-shirt of his that she always slept in and pulled the drapes tightly. Angel was lying curled up in the fetal position on her mattress and his eyes had welled up again. She then climbed into the bed beside him.

"Angel baby, I don't know what's happened but I'm here for you. I…I love you. I wish you would talk to me, tell me what's happened."

She settled into the bed lying turned slightly towards him and she reached out her hand to him. She tenderly stroked his face, talking softly in the soothing tone of a lover.

"Angel talk to me, what's ha-p-pened t-to yo-ou?" She asked as tears filled her voice.

Angel then turned into her and pillowed his head in the crook of her neck and snaked his arm around her as Buffy wrapped her arms around him and draped a leg over his hip and held him tightly as he gave into his emotions and cried. Buffy held Angel tightly as his body shook with the force of his tears.

Buffy tightened her grip on him and was kissing the side of his head until Angel shifted and brought himself face to face with Buffy. He looked into her eyes for a moment before Buffy placed a hand on either side of his face and brought his mouth to hers.

Buffy ran her tongue along Angel's lips until he opened his mouth to grant her access and then she slipped her tongue in and massaged his. She wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened and she arched against him as her body responded to a touch long denied.

She had only meant to try and get a response from him, to find out what happened and now Angel hungrily ran his hands along the length of Buffy's body brining his hands up beneath the shirt that she wore. He tucked his hand between them and reveled in her heat that warmed him. (_I want to feel something besides the cold_) He cupped her breast in his hand and began to massage it as he felt her writhe beneath him.

_ _

Buffy again arched against him and this time she could feel his arousal pressed against her thigh. Angel shifted back from Buffy and divested her of her shirt and panties while at the same time removing his own and then he dove back down into her loving embrace, settling himself between her milky thighs. He slipped a hand down to the juncture of her thighs and dipped his fingers into her core to find, as he knew she would be, ready for him. 

He brought his dripping fingers to his mouth, greedily sucking Buffy's juices. He then pressed himself to her slick opening and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were closed as she was lost in the feeling of his touch and he slipped himself inside her fiery core with one fluid stroke feeling her walls stretch around his girth. They both shuddered at the feeling both reeling at the familiarity and newness of the feeling.

Angel started up a rhythm and Buffy meet him stroke for stroke. Within moments their coupling became frantic as Angel increased his momentum and lay himself down on Buffy. He captured her mouth in a crushing kiss as they pounded their way to release. Buffy didn't notice the death grip Angel had on her arm as the intensity of the coupling became almost frightening. 

Angel could tell from the moans Buffy elicited from her perfect mouth that her orgasm was building and just as she reached the peak she turned her head and offered her neck to him. Instantly Angel bared his fangs and sunk them into that creamy smooth column of flesh.

As her essence flowed into him, Angel's body contracted and his essence shot into her as she cascaded over her peak into wave after wave of orgasmic release. Angel then retracted his fangs and laved the tear in her neck gently as he melted into the mattress beside her allowing sleep to overtake his weary body knowing he was safe in the arms of his hearts only love.

Buffy reached down and pulled the blanket up over them as Angel held her close, his face still buried in her neck and she stroked his face until she was certain that he was asleep and only then did she allow herself to relax and join him in her slumber. The reality of the situation still not able to permeate her concern for the vampire she cradled in her arms.

And when… When the night falls on you baby 

_You're feeling all alone_

_You won't be on your own_

_ _

_I'll stand by you_

_I'll stand by you_

_Won't let anyone hurt you _

_I'll stand by you_

_ _

_Take me in, into your darkest hour_

_And I'll never desert you_

_I'll stand by you_

_I'll stand by you _

_Won't let nobody hurt you_

_I'll stand by you_

_ _

To be continued…only if you crave more. Oh and if you are one of those who is wondering what about Angel's curse? Angel's in a bad place here. It's not about perfect happiness. The Angel episode I drew from had Angel sleeping with Darla and he remained ensouled. Same thing here only different blonde.


	2. I'll Stand By You Chapter 2

I'll Stand By You Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** For the love of god do I really have to …all right, all right. Geez…they aren't mine, they're Joss'. I gain nothing from this. (Sigh) There are you happy now?

**Spoiler:** See comment from previous chapter and include Angel episode Epiphany.

**Dedication:** to Kelsey who said I should write a sequel

**Feedback:** PLEASE. I need to appease my muse!

I'll Stand By You 

By Angel's girl

Chapter 2

Buffy woke to the sound of her phone ringing. She stole a glance at her alarm clock. 7:35 am in bold red letters stared back at her. She groggily reached out and fumbled around until she had grasped the handset and brought it under the covers to her ear. 

"There had better be some life or death reason of apocalyptic nature happening in the next five minutes or whoever this is won't live to see lunch!" She snapped into the phone.

"Buffy?"

Oh shit. It was Riley. It was entirely too god damned early to deal with his bullshit.

"Riley what do you want that couldn't possibly wait until a more respectable hour?"

"I wanted to make sure you were home cause we need to talk."

"Yea talk. Sure, whatever."

Buffy was already drifting back to sleep as she tuned out the rest of Riley's babbling.

"Okay so I'm on my way over now. I'll be there in about ten minutes."

Buffy however didn't hear that because the phone had slipped from her hand as she slipped back in to a peaceful dream of her and Angel making love.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Ten minutes later**

Buffy was lost in the throes of a dream but hovered just on the edge of consciousness. She felt an arm wrap around her waist and she instinctively snuggled back into the owner of said arm's embrace. She felt the arm pull her in tighter and in a moment she was pressed tightly against the length of her lover.

She barely registered the knock at her bedroom door.

KNOCK, KNOCK

"Buffy?" 

Buffy moaned a little, well actually it was more like a little snarl, but she didn't get up to answer the door. Again someone knocked.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Buffy can you hear me?"

Buffy pulled the covers up over her head not wanting to face the day. She wanted to stay here in her bed all wrapped up and cozy with her lover. The door sounded for the third time.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Buffy…it's Riley, I'm going to come in.

What's the saying…third times the charm? Must be because suddenly Buffy's eyes shoot wide open and her brain tries to process what's going on as she hears …

"I'm gonna rip that boy a new spleen if he comes in here."

…which to Buffy's ears sounds a lot like Angel's voice and if Angel's here and Riley's on the other side of the door about to come in…

Buffy leaps from the bed and hurls herself against the door as Riley starts to open it.

"OWW."

"Sorry Riley it's just that…" Buffy looks down at herself and realizes to her extreme horror that she is completely naked.

"…I'm not dressed."

"Well then, all the more reason I should come in." Riley remarks trying vainly to be seductive.

"Riley just go downstairs and wait in the living room."

"But…"

"Riley you have a choice you can wait downstairs or you can leave. What's it going to be?"

"Downstairs."

Buffy leaned her desk chair up against the door, propping it under the handle effectively locking it. Buffy could hear the rejection coming through loud and clear in his voice but she could not let him walk into her room and find her completely buck naked and…she walks carefully to her bed and slowly peels back the covers…oh gods help me…find an equally naked Angel in her bed still half asleep.

"Angel!"

Buffy stared incredulously at the vampire occupying space in her bed. She tries desperately to piece together what happened the night before and her eyes goes wide as she realizes her dream wasn't a dream but a reality. 

OH. MY.GOD.

Buffy tried not to let herself completely turn to mush at the thought that she had potentially released Angelus again. Her head was spinning. Riley was downstairs and Angel or was it Angelus, was sleeping in her bed. 

Buffy went to her closet and pulled out her weapons chest. She quietly rifled through it until she found what she was searching for.

~*~*~*~*~

"Buffy."

"Riley you have to leave. Now."

"What? No we need to talk Buffy."

"Riley don't argue."

Riley watched as Buffy kept glancing upstairs. She was nervous and jittery. It was almost as if she expected someone to come down and interrupt…Oh god.

"Angel's upstairs isn't he?" Riley snapped, fury filling his features.

Buffy didn't respond instead she grabbed a hold of his arm and directed him towards the front door. Riley however would have none of it. He pulled away from Buffy forcefully and stared at her hard.

"Answer me damn it."

"Riley just go okay I'm not dealing with these insecurities of yours now."

She tried again to push Riley out the door but he stood fast.

"Buffy if it isn't Angel what is it?"

Before Buffy could answer the sound of manacles being tested rang out before…

"Buffy?"

Anger flashed across Riley's face.

"Tell me that's **not** Angel's voice calling out." The look on his face just dared Buffy to try and deny it. Buffy just hung her head as tears slipped down her cheeks. Riley turned and stormed out of Buffy's house and Buffy crumpled to the floor a hysterical mess.

Okay now is the point in the story where we do the feedback thing…please!


	3. I'll Stand By You Chapter 3

I'll Stand By You Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** For the love of god do I really have to …all right, all right. Geez…they aren't mine, they're Joss'. I gain nothing from this. (Sigh) There are you happy now?

**Spoiler:** See comment from previous chapter and include Angel episode Epiphany.

**Dedication:** to Kelsey who said I should write a sequel

**Feedback:** PLEASE. I need to appease my muse!

I'll Stand By You 

By Angel's girl

Chapter 3

Buffy stood up and walked into the kitchen. She washed her face in the sink and then took a deep breath before ascending the stairs to her room. She put one hand flat against the door the other grasping the doorknob as she eased the door open trying to brace herself for what she might see.

She wasn't exactly sure what she would find when she went into her room but she knew it wasn't the sight that played out before her now.

Angel was writhing on the bed in the throes of a nightmare. It was reminiscent to the way he acted when he first returned from hell. She watched helplessly as Angel continued to pull on the restraints that bound him to her bed as the floodgates of emotion and memory washed through her.

"Buffy?" He called out.

God how she desperately wanted to go to him and cradle him. She wanted to reassure him that everything was going to be okay but was it? Buffy stood rooted to her spot in the doorway unable to move or speak. She couldn't be sure that this wasn't a mind game that Angelus wasn't trying to goad her into trusting him.

"Buffy?" Angel cried again. He sounded so small and frail. It was killing her.

Buffy walked over to the side of her bed, she reached into her bedside table and grabbed a vile of holy water and a stake. She carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and gingerly placed her hand on Angel's chest.

"Angel?"

Buffy uncorked the bottle of holy water she held in her other hand ready to use it at a moments notice and the stake lay at her feet.

"Angel wake up."

Angel stirred beside Buffy but he still wasn't opening his eyes. Buffy needed to see his eyes. All the answers she would ever need rested in Angel's eyes.

"Angel open your eyes for me baby." 

Buffy was almost pleading with him now. She was fighting hard to keep reign over her emotions until she knew what or rather whom she was dealing with. Buffy began to shake Angel, first gently then more forcefully until Angel finally began to come around.

With bated breath Buffy waited as Angel struggled to open his eyes and focus in on his surroundings. He turned his head and looked at Buffy however it was a good minute before Buffy could bring her gaze up to meet his. After what seemed like an eternity Buffy's hazel eyes met squarely and locked with Angel's chocolate brown. Buffy concentrated on those eyes and after a couple of minutes Buffy gasped aloud and tears spilled down over her cheeks.

Buffy knew exactly who she was dealing with it was…it was…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Riley was infuriated with what had happened last night but he could almost forgive Buffy. I mean it wasn't entirely her fault although she could have sent fang-boy on his way instead of rushing to his side once again. This morning's turn of events was a different story entirely.

Riley was angry and he wanted to talk to Buffy about her involvement with Angel. He felt that Angel was hampering their relationship and if need be he was going to make her choose. If they had any real chance at all he'd know it then. If she had picked Angel then he would have had no choice but to walk away from this.

He certainly did not expect to find Angel at Buffy's house and upstairs with her nonetheless. When he heard Angel's voice drift down from presumably Buffy's room he had just about had an aneurysm. It took every once of self-control in him not to go up those stairs and kill the son of a bitch.

Riley had been pacing the streets of Sunnydale since he left Buffy's. He needed to find some way to vent his frustration before his head exploded off of his shoulders. However his options were limited as it was daylight and so most of Sunnydale's creatures of the night were in hiding until nightfall. Including Angel who was hiding out in Buffy's bedroom, trapped there in that house with Buffy all day. A good twelve hours at least to work his voodoo on his girlfriend in an attempt to drive a wedge between them. As if there weren't one there already.

Of course this line of thinking only served to infuriate him even further so he did the only thing he could do.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The gang was sitting around at the Majick Shop trying to make heads or tales of what had happened the night before at the Bronze with Angel. He certainly hadn't been acting like himself and he hadn't said one word to any of them.

They were a little concerned about Buffy too because when they left her alone with him Angel and he wasn't exactly playing nice. Willow had wanted to call her this morning but Xander had convinced her that Buffy could hold her own but had acquiesced when Willow said that if they didn't hear from her by lunchtime that they would check up on her.

Giles however had overheard the group and he was now demanding to be told what exactly had happened last night at the Bronze.

"You say that Angel came in looking as though he had been in a battle and he came into the Bronze looking for Buffy."

"Yes he came in and searched her out although Buffy picked up on him almost immediately and went to him. We helped them outside and…"

"That's when he lashed out at you all?"

"Well more like Xander but Buffy put his focus on her."

"Yeah and then Captain commando jumped in there and well once Buffy got him away from Angel we had to get Riley out of there. Buffy then headed Angel towards her house."

"And now no one has spoken to Buffy since then?"

"No."

The gang all looked sheepishly at there hands. Giles just looked at the bunch of them in disbelief a moment before grabbing his jacket and heading towards the door. 

Giles had only been gone a moment when Riley stormed in. He walked right past the dumbfounded group and directly into the back to the training room Giles had built for Buffy.

Willow walked into the room after Riley. She watched a moment as he pounded on the punching bag. He was pouring so much into beating that bag. The anger and emotion rolling off of Riley was almost palpable and for a minute it overwhelmed Willow but she pushed that down and she walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

It was a simple gesture and Willow was lucky Riley didn't turn around and take her head off. Instead Riley collapsed to his knees and gave into the tears he had been fighting, giving into the utter feeling of loss that had consumed him when in the deepest reaches of his heart he knew that he was losing Buffy, not that he ever really had her to begin with.

"Riley what happened?"

Riley looked into Willow's eyes and after a minute he told her how he had gone to Buffy's early this morning only to find Buffy wasn't alone. Angel had been there. Angel had spent the night and Buffy had tried to get him out before he could discover Angel's presence. However Angel called out to Buffy…from upstairs. Of course this lead to a fight with Buffy and Riley stalking out of there before he went upstairs and did something that would make Riley feel great but would undoubtedly have the opposite effect on Buffy than what he desired.

"So you're telling me that in Angel's state Buffy took him to her house and he spent the night there?"

"Yea it certainly looks that way."

"Oh my god."

"What."

"Giles is on his way over to Buffy's right now."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Giles walked up the walkway to the Summer's residence. It certainly looked quiet enough but that didn't exactly mean that it was a good thing. It could mean that everything was fine or it could mean that his Slayer was dead.

He quietly walked up the front steps and placed his hand on the doorknob. He turned it slowly as to not alert anyone to his presence although he knew that he could walk in and frighten the life out of Buffy or even Dawn but he was just going to have to take that chance.

It didn't calm his nerves one bit to find that Buffy's front door was unlocked in fact it only served to increase his fear as he reached into his coat pocket to retrieve the stake he had hidden there for times just like this one. He pushed the front door open looked around before stepping inside. It would do him no good to be blindsided and rendered unconscious, as he would be of little assistance to Buffy that way.

When Giles was sure all was clear he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He made his way around the main floor of the Summer's home before venturing down into the basement first. Once he was sure that no one was able to sneak up on him from behind he made his way upstairs. 

He checked Joyce's room and found it empty and undisturbed. He then checked Dawn's room and found it to be in the same state as Joyce's. He even checked the bathroom before continuing on to Buffy's room.

Giles stood outside the closed door to Buffy's bedroom and listened. He could hear something but he couldn't for the life of him make out what the sound was or who for that matter was making it. He tentatively placed one hand on the doorknob and clutched his stake in the other.

'Lord give me strength to aide Buffy should she need it and give Buffy restraint should I be wrong in my assumptions here but most of all let her be understanding.'

Giles took a deep breath and then whipped Buffy's bedroom door open.

"Oh good heavens."

"Giles."

Okay if you want more you know what to do to get it… **cough, cough…feedback…cough, cough**J


	4. I'll Stand By You Chapter 4

I'll Stand By You Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** For the love of god do I really have to …all right, all right. Geez…they aren't mine, they're Joss'. I gain nothing from this. (Sigh) There are you happy now?

**Spoiler: **I'm not sure so I'll just go with a yes just to be safe.

**Dedication:** to everyone who gave me the feedback I craved

**Feedback:** PLEASE. I need to appease my muse!

I'll Stand By You 

By Angel's girl

Chapter 4

"So you're telling me that in Angel's state Buffy took him to her house and he spent the night there?"

"Yea it certainly looks that way."

"Oh my god."

"What."

"Giles is on his way over to Buffy's right now."

Willow got to her feet and headed back into the store.

"Willow where are you going?"

"I'm sorry I have to go now. I have to get to Buffy's."

Willow walked back into the store where Xander, Anya and Dawn where still seated round the table. 

"So Wills what's up with commando boy?"

She didn't reply as she walked behind the counter and grabbed a few supplies.

"Hey, you have to pay for those you know. You can't just take things. When Giles isn't here I'm the boss."

Willow paid no mind to Anya's ramblings and put her supplies into her knapsack and then headed for the door. Before she could reach it though Xander had a hold of her arm. She turned to find her eyes lock with her friends.

"What is it Wills?"

"Angel, Buffy and Giles about to walk in on them. I'm worried."

"I'm coming with you."

Willow simply nodded and the duo headed out leaving Anya and Dawn to deal with Captain whiney in the back room.

"So what's the plan?"

"Plan?"

"Yea, you do have a plan here?"

"Well actually I just figured I would wait until I got there and saw what was happening and something would just come to me."

"So there is no plan?"

"There's no plan. Sorry."

"That's okay I mean it's not like we haven't walked into some unknown situation without the vaguest clue before so we'll manage."

"Yea we'll manage."

"Yea cause that's what we do."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow and Xander were coming up Revello drive when they could hear sounds akin to shouting coming from Buffy's house. The two ran up the steps, stakes in hand, and tried the front door finding, like Giles had, that it was unlocked. Noting that no one was in the living room and the noises seemed to be coming from upstairs Willow and Xander headed up. They ran down the hall until they came to Buffy's room and they stopped a minute and took a deep breath.

They looked each other straight in the eye and then 1…2…3…

"Giles." Willow shouted.

"Buffy." Xander bellowed.

"We're here." "Attack." They said simultaneously as they jumped into the room.

Of course the shouting in the room as well as all other activity had abruptly ceased when the dynamic duo leaped into the fore. Although only momentarily as Willow and Xander absorbed what was going on.

Giles was sitting on a chair in the corner of Buffy's room looking … well if I had had to describe it…absolutely totally and completely mortified. And hey who could blame him. Xander continued his scan of the room to find Buffy standing by the bed wearing nothing but…a bed sheet?

Xander kept going, well okay knowing Xander he probably gawked at Buffy standing there half naked but eventually he looked away. Okay, okay he didn't look away until Willow poked him in the ribs…forcefully but when he finally did continue looking he saw that Angel was on Buffy's bed.

Actually Angel was tied down to Buffy's bed.

(Okay this next bit is for all of us that appreciate thinking about Angel in various stages of undress!J To anyone who doesn't I'm sorry.)

Manacles held Angel's hands above his head emphasizing the corded muscles of his arms. His chest was bare and a slight sheen glinted across his sculpted pectorals and carved washboard abdominal muscles. It could have been sweat or maybe it was from the bottle of lotion that was lying on the bed next to him.

You could see the smooth contours of his hip rise and then dip down dragging your eyes to his powerful thighs and calves, once again the leg muscles being pulled taut because of the matching set of manacles clamped around his ankles. 

You could tell that Angel was trying very hard not to move although he looked, okay he looked pissed being as he was vamped out, he still managed to look embarrassed and hey I would be to if the only thing keeping my um privates private was Mr.Gordo who was precariously perched across his lap. (It's all Buffy could do considering Giles had burst in and she had snatched up the sheet for herself, the blanket having fallen between the bed and the wall and temporarily unattainable.)

Xander's gaze came back to Buffy as he was giggling at the picture Angel presented. Although when his eyes met Buffy's he could see nothing but anger. Buffy took a step towards him and he shrieked grabbing Willow and recoiling out of the room shouting,

"Run away, run away."

"Indeed." Was Giles' response as he followed Willow and Xander's retreat out of the room and to the relative safety of the downstairs.

Buffy made to follow after them and was almost out the door when…

"Uh Buffy?"

Buffy turned to see Mr. Gordo falling off Angel's lap rendering him completely naked once more and Angel was helpless to do anything being as he was well still cuffed in place on the bed.

"The three of you better park your butts in that living room and stay there. I'll be right down."

Buffy walked over to the bed and leaned down giving Angel a feather light kiss before pulling off her sheet and draping it across Angel's hips effectively covering him this time. 

"You don't go anywhere!"

"Funny girl." Angel replied as he shook his chains.

She then pulled on a t-shirt and shorts and stomped downstairs to find Giles, Willow and Xander sitting in a row on the couch waiting for her as she had requested…all right demanded.

Actually it surprised Buffy. She had thought that for sure they would have taken off and hid away from her for at least a few days rather than face her after that humiliating moment.

Buffy stood in front of them her hands placed sternly upon her hips.

"What the HELL was that?"

"Well I heard that Angel had attacked you…" "Riley came into the shop all upset…" "I was just coming with Willow…"

They all were speaking at the same time and Buffy couldn't figure out what any of them were trying to say.

"STOP!"

She put her hand on her head as if she was getting a headache and closed her eyes a minute before opening them and setting her gaze upon her friends again.

"All right it doesn't matter why you all showed up and burst into my bedroom at one of the most inopportune moments EVER. All that matters now is that no one breathes a word of this to anyone. This whole thing here…never took place…in fact you all were never even here today. Riley is not to know anything. Not one of you knows the whole story and I'm not sharing so let's just go with what he don't know won't kill him but if he finds out I'll kill you. Okay."

Before anyone could answer Buffy heard a voice behind her ask.

"Don't tell who what?"

Buffy turned slowly where she stood only to find Riley standing in her house for the second time that day.

Oh shit!

Okay folks do that feedback thing that you do so well. Tell me if it's still good or if I have started to suck!Do we want a chapter five?


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